Expectations and Enjoying the Present Moment

One thing that interferes with fully enjoying our lives are the expectations that we carry around with us. Everyone has expectations in many areas of their lives but the key is acknowledging them so they do not interfere with our happiness. Our lives will never 100% match our expectations and if we expect them to then we will always be disappointed on some level.

I’m not saying that you should not have expectations or that you are not allowed to think about how you want things to be. You should definitely make plans and create goals to create a path to where you want to go. The problem is when we get so narrowed in on our expectations that we cannot enjoy the present moments as they come along. Something may not happen exactly as you would want or expect, but this does not mean that it is necessarily a bad thing. Expectations sometimes do not allow us to enjoy the life we have because we are too busy thinking about how it should be.

Take a look at your life and try to see where you might have some expectations that get in the way of your happiness. Perhaps there is a person in your life who you expect should treat you a certain way. This person may not be treating you exactly as you expect but they are still putting effort in and caring for you. Sometimes, it is hard to recognize other people for their efforts if they don’t match the expectations that you have for them. However, if you are able to let go of your expectations, you might realize that you are pretty lucky to have that person in your life. This is one example where expectations can interfere with your happiness but there are so many more.

Here are some tips for dealing with expectations:

Planning and creating goals for the future are great! Just make sure you keep the mindset that it is also okay to deviate from those plans and adjust when things don’t go as expected.

Rather than silently expecting people to act and treat you a certain way, try asking them for what you want and then accepting whatever happens.

When situations do not go as you expected, take a step back and try to remove those expectations and then see how you feel about it. Chances are it will not be nearly as bad as you thought.

Understand what expectations you have so you can recognize when they might be getting in the way of enjoying the present moment.

If you are able to recognize what expectations you have and how they affect your view on life, it will be so much easier to enjoy the present rather than thinking about all the things that should or could have happened. The reality is that life almost never turns out how you expect and sometimes what actually happens is way better than what you could have ever imagined. So while expectations are okay to have, make sure you don’t let them get in the way of enjoying your life. The most beautiful thing about life is that you can never fully predict what might happen in the future. You can either dwell on unmet expectations or love every minute of the ride!

Make sure you leave a comment letting me know what kind of expectations you see holding you back and how you plan to change it!